An Abandoned Lakeside Railroad In Vermont Is Now A Beautiful Trail Perfect For Bike Rides

There you are, riding your bike along a wooded waterfront, when the land suddenly falls away, and you're pedaling through the middle of a lake. The gravel path continues straight — and gently curves into the distance — but the terra firma on either side has been replaced with miles of water. This narrow causeway is lined with rocky levees, and intermittent trees jut out of the sides; you can see so far, including the mainland behind you and the shores of Grand Isle ahead. A wind picks up off Lake Champlain; the sky looks enormous above you, and the landscape is wide-open. You feel so very free, coasting along at 10-15 miles per hour.

This is the Island Line Trail, a former railroad route that once carried freight trains over Lake Champlain. This segment is just part of the longer Burlington Greenway, which starts in Vermont's largest town and continues for several miles along the lake. Known historically as the Colchester Causeway, the Island Line traces a three-mile crescent through the water, terminating in the island-town of South Hero. The multi-use trail is about 12-feet-wide, and as you bike, run, or walk your way down the crushed limestone bedding, you may feel a dreamy disorientation, like you're hovering above the water's surface.

Like so much of life in Burlington, the Island Line is outdoorsy and interactive. The route also speaks to Vermont's industrial past, a less known aspect of Green Mountain life, and another reason this incredible east coast destination is a must-visit for history buffs.

The good news is, the Island Line is free, public, and open year-round. Spring and fall are fantastic times to visit, thanks to cool temperatures and changing leaves, two of Vermont's hallmarks. If the conditions are right, you could come here in the middle of winter and no one would stop you; sections of the lake will freeze over, generating vast sheets of white. Fat tire biking has become increasingly popular across Vermont, empowering cyclists to dexterously roll over snow and ice. In theory, the Island Line is a four-season experience.

There's just one hitch: 2.7 miles into the causeway, the trail breaks off. This missing section is known locally as "The Cut," where a 200-foot-long bridge once connected the two tips of land. The water is too deep (and cold) to wade across in the off-season, so unless your bicycle is towing a sturdy watercraft, there's simply no way to get across.

That's why the Vermont-based organization Local Motion created the Island Line Bike Ferry, which collects riders on one side and motors them across The Cut. If the ferry isn't already docked on your side, you hoist a small flag to call the captain, who will come get you. The ferry opens for weekends in late May and operates almost every day in July and August. The ferry takes only donations, but it's strongly recommended you pay $5 one-way and $10 round-trip. This picturesque route is just one reason a road trip through this New England state is a slice of heaven for photographers.

Since the 1880s, cyclists have trickled through Vermont, thanks to its pastoral backroads and rolling byways through bucolic small towns. Mountain bikers started to ride the back trails — legally and otherwise — from the 1970s onward, radically expanding the range of motion for two-wheeled sports. Vermont is, in fact, the most rural state in the US, and there has always been a lot of rich landscape to explore. This reputation has grown exponentially in recent years, thanks to hundreds of miles of single-track that web through the mountains, plus the growing popularity of gravel cycling; one of the most coveted bikepacking routes in the country is the VTXL, which cobbles together 300 miles of (mostly) unpaved roads and traverses the whole state from north to south.

Vermont is also very hilly, and not every rider is willing to conquer slope after slope just to reach the next inn or campsite. Plenty of visitors just want a leisurely ride. This is one reason the Burlington Greenway is such a luxury; visitors can stay in this trendy town, which has no fewer than seven craft breweries and a teeming culinary and arts scene.

Burlington also has its own modest airport and lots of lodging, with prices ranging from $100-400 per night. There are several places to rent a bicycle in town, including Local Motion itself. If you love the scenery and want to challenge yourself — but still feel lackluster about long climbs — try the 93-mile Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, which starts about 30 miles north of Burlington in the town of St. Albans and winds its way southeast through Vermont's middle. You could easily insert this in a lineup of the most beautiful US bike trails to add to your bucket list.